Railway signaling system



Apnl J. M. ANDER SEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTBI Filed F61 3. 1923 11 Sheets-Shoat 1 lnven-Jar. 7y {my April J. M. ANDERSBN 15624987 RAILWAY smmuua svs'rsu Filed m. s. 192ai1 sums-sh g.

April ,12, 1927.

J. M. ANDERSEN I RAILWAY smmuuo slrs'mu rma Feb. s. 1923 n shun-sum 4' y 1,624,087 1927' J. M. ANDERSEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 5. 192s 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 12.1927.

J. M. ANDERSEN 76 I Y 12743. haven/07 1927 J. M. ANDERSEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTE" 11 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 5, 1923 uvenirn' April J. M. ANDERSEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM FiledF eb. s 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet a fyif A v .w 1,6 April .1. M. ANDERSEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 5, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet iinvezw '0 7 %JQC WM a 1,624,087 Apr! 1927' .1. M. ANDERSEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM 3 iled eb. 5, 1923 ll Sheets-Sheet 10 April 12, 1927.

J.M.ANDERSEN RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 5, 1923 ll Sheets-Sheet 11 Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES,

J'OI-IAN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO ALBERT & J. 1\l[ PATENT OFFICE;

ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AQC QR- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed February 5, 1823.

This inventionrelates to railway systems of that character known as single track systems, wherein a single track is provided at intervals with turnouts formingblocks in the system between said turnouts.

The present invention has'for its object to provide a novel and highly eiiicient signal system for safeguarding the movement in opposite directions of'cars or trains of cars into and out of the block. The invention is especially applicable to electrically operated street railway systems, and will be hereinafter clescribed with relation thereto.

In accordance with this invention, each block in the railway track is provided at or near its opposite ends with apparatus having adevice movable step by step in response to each car of a predetermined number of cars as they enter the block. The apparatus is suspended above the track in position to be mechanically actuated by a device on the car, and is provided with a switch controlling the signal or signals whichgovern the block.

The apparatus may and preferably will be provided with an electromagnet for ef fecting its operation in the reverse direction, which electromagnet is controlled by an apparatus located at or near the opposite end of the block and suspended above the track to be actuated mechanically by a device carried by the car.

For convenience, the apparatus responsive to cars entering the block may be designated the entrance contaetor, and the cooperating apparatus at the opposite end of the block and which is actuated by the cars passing out of the block may be designated the clearing contactor. The contactors may and preferably will be supported in the air by the usual span wires and by the trolley wire and the mechanical device carried by the car for operating them may and preferably will be the usual trolley wheel which runs on the trolley wire.

The switch of the entrance contactor may and preferably will govern the dancer signal located at the outlet end of the block, and the entrance contactor is constructed to enable the danger signal to be initially lighted or operated by the initial car of the predetermined number as it enters the block,

Serial No. 616,967.

and to be momentarily extinguishedpor ren.-

dered inoperative and again lighted or rene dered operative by each succeeding car of The entrance contactor may andpreferably will be constructed to enable the danger.

signal. to be momentarily extinguished or renderedinoperative and again lighted0r rendered operative when a car which has entered the block passes out of the latter: at its entrance end.

The entrance contactor is also preferably constructed to enable it to be operated accurately by cars entering the block at relatively high speeds.

The clearing contactor is constructed so as to permit it to be moved by a .car pass? ing under it in either direction, but to, be effective to operate the entrance contactor only when the car is. passing out of the block.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims, at the end of this specification.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an entrance contactor with its casingin section.

Fig. 2, a cross section of Fig. 1 on the line 2-2.

Fig. 3, an enlarged side elevation of parts of the contactor shown in Fig. 1 looking to.- ward the left in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, an enlarged side elevation and section looking toward the right in Fig. 2.

Figs. -5 and 6. enlarged details of the cam disk shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 7 and 8, side and front elevations of the swing arms shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

Fig. 9, a plan of the ratchet drum or wheel shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 10," 11, 12 and 18. details of the escapement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 14, a side elevation of the clearing contactor. with its casing in section.

Fig. 15. a side elevation of the clearing contactor in its closed position.

Fig. 16. a vertical cross section on the line 16-16, Fig. 14.

Figs. 17. 18 and 19, diagrammatic views to illustrate the operation of the entrance and clearing contactors.

In order that the invention may beclearly comprehended, I will first describe in detail the construction of the entrance contactor preferred by me and heroin shown.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, 10 represents a ratchet wheel or drum, having on its periphery ratchet teeth 12. The ratchetwheel 10 is loosely mounted on a stationary shaiit 13 and is capable of being rotated in the direction of the arrow 14, see Fig. 4, by a pull pawl 15, and in the opposite direction by a spring 16, similar to a clock spring and having its inner end fast to the shaft 13, see Fig. 2, and its outer end fast to the ratchet wheel 10 by a pin 1? or otherwise, see Fig. 4.

Rotation of the ratchet wheel 10 in the direction of the arrow 14 winds the spring 16 upon the shaft 13 and stores up energy in the sprii'ig, which is used to turn the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction.

The pull pawl 15 is mounted on a pivot pin 18 carried by the short arm 19 ot a bell crank lever 20 loosely mounted on the shaft 13 and having its long arm 21 extended down through an opening 22 in the base 23 of a supporting frame for the entrance contactor. The lever arm 21 is long enough to extend below the trolley wire 24; and be engaged by a flange on the trolley wheel 25 on the trolley pole 26 mounted on the car (not shown). The long arm 21 will be hereinafter referred to as a swing arm.

As the car moves under the entrance contactor to enter a block in the track, the trolley wheel 25 engages the swing arm 21 and turns the bell crank lever 20 on the shaft 13, so as to move the arm 18 and the pawl 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow 26 in Fig. 4. y

The pull pawl 15, which is normally elevated above the teeth of the ratchet wheel 10, is, by this movementof the bell crank lever, moved toward the ratchet wheel and is brought into engagement with a tooth thereof, while the trolley wheel is engaged with the swing arm 21, and at such time as will enable the trolley wheel to turn the ratchet wheel 10 the distance of one tooth before the trolley wheel passes under and out of engagement with the swing arm 21.

The engagement of the pawl 15 with the proper tooth of the ratchet wheel is controlled by a path cam 30 in the face of a stationary cam disk 01, see Figs. 1 and 5, having a. bracket or arm 32, which is secured. by screws 33 or otherwise to a stationary support 34;. The path cam 30 is formed by a projection 34.0 coopc *ating with a hub portion 35 of the disk 31. The projection 340 also cooperates with a flange or rim 36 on the cam disk 31 to form a path cam 37. The path earns 30, 37 have cooperating with them a roller 38 mounted on an arm 39 attached to the pull pawl 15.

When the bell crank lever 20 is at rest,

its swing arm 21 is substantially vertical and the pull pawl 15 is at such time elevated and disengaged from the ratchet wheel 10, in which posit-ion it is held by the roller 38 resting on a circular portion of the lmb 35. as indicated in Figs. 4: and 5.

hen. however, the swing arm 21 is engaged by the trolley wheel and moved thereby in the direction indicated by the arrow 40, Fig. 4, the roller 38 is caused to enter the path cam 30, and as it progresses through the same. the pull pawl 15 is turned on its pivot 18 and brought into engagement with the proper tooth of the ratchet wheel 10, and on the continued movement of the swing arm 21, the ratchet wheel is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow 14: by the pull pawl 15. When the ratchet wheel has been thus turned, the roller 38 passes out of the path cam 30 and is brought into engagement. with the flange 36 and into the cam path 37 at or about the time the trolley wheel passes out of engagement with the swing arm 21. The bell crank lever 20 is then free to be returned to its starting position, which is effected by a spring 4-1, see Fig. 3, as will be described. On the return movement of the bell crank lever 20, the roller 38, which is engaged with the flange 36, is moved in the cam path 37, and at or about the time the swing arm 21 of the bell crank lever 20 reaches its vertical position, the roller 38 passes off of the cam projection 3-'-.O and drops by gravity on to the circular portion of the hub 35, into its starting position, thereby bringing the pull pawl 15 into its starting position out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. The spring l1, which efiects the return movement of the bell crank lever 20, has one end anchored to an arm 42 on the casing of an electromagnet L3 and its other end is connected with a vertical arm 44 on a lever 45, which is located on the side of the ratchet wheel 10 opposite to that on which the bell crank lever 20 is located. The lever 15 is mounted on a. stud or pin 46, carried by a stationary upright 457 at tached to the base 23 of the framework. The lever 4-5 has its long arm 4-8 extended to near the shaft 13 and has a bent linger 4-9 extended beyond said shaft so as to allow the free end of the lever arm 48 to straddle the shaft 13, and the hub 50 ot a swing arm or lever 51. mounted loosely on the shaft 13 and arranged parallel with the vertical swing arm 21 of the bell crank lever 20. The swing arm or lever 51 is connected by a cross piece or tie bar 52. see Figs. 2 and 4:, so that the swing arms 21, 51, move as one piece. The lower end of the swing arm or lever 51 is designed to be engaged by a flange on the trolley wheel 25, at the same time the other flange of the trolley wheel engages the lower end of the swing arm 21.

The swing arm 51 is provided with ears 54, carrying rollers 56, 57, upon which bear the finger 49 and the long arm 48 ot the lever 45, see Fig. 3, so as to normally keep the swing arms 21, 51 in their vertical position.

l/Vhen the swing arms 21, 51 are turned by the trolley wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow 40 in Figs. 3 and 4, the roller 56 raises the finger 49 and turns the lever 45 so as to move its vertical arm 44 in the direction indicated by the arrow 58 and extend the spring 41 so as to provide it with power sutficient to return the swing arms 21, 51 to their starting position, when they are released by the trolley wheel. The roller 57 cooperates'with the bottom of the lever arm 48 to elevate it and store up energy in the spring 41, so that the latter can return the swing arms 21, 51, to their starting position, when the swing arms have been moved by the trolley wheel in the direction oppos te to that indicated by the arrow 40, as will be described. Provision is made for preventing the ratchet wheel 10 from being moved more than the distance of one tooth by the pull pawl 15, which is liable to occur when the swing arms 21, 51 are struck by a trolley wheel traveling along the trolley wire at a relatively high speed.

To this end, the ratchet wheel 10 has cooperating with it a mechanically operated stop or holding pawl 60, which is attached to a hub 61 mounted on a pivot pin 62. supported by cars 63 attached to the upright 47. The hub 61 has an arm 64, which carries a roller 65 movable in a cam slot 66, see Figs. 3' and 4, in a disk 67 attached to the hub 68 of the swing arm or lever 51'. see Fig. 7 The cam slot 66 is provided with a concentric portion 69, which holds the pawl out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 10, while the latter is being turned by the pull pawl 15. The cam slot 66 is arranged at one end of the concentric portion 69, sothat, when the ratchet wheel has been moved by the pull pawl 15 the distance of one tooth, the cam slot 66 will, by movement of the cam disk 67 with the swing arms 21, 51, be engaged with the roller and act, through the arm 64 and hub 61, to move the pawl 60 into engagement with the ratchet wheel between the tooth engaged by the pull pawl 15 and the next succeeding tooth. and into position to be engaged by the latter tooth. as soon as the pull pawl. 15 is disengaged from its tooth. In this manner, the ratchet wheel 10 is prevented from beii'ig moved by momentum more than the distance of one tooth at each movement of theswing arms 21, 51 in the direction of the arrow 40. It will thus be seen that the swing arms 21, 51 are moved in the direction of arrow 40 by a mechanical device-on the car and thatthey are moved in said direction when-the car enters the block.

It will alsobe seen that the ratchet wheelilO constitutes a device movable step by step in response to the number of cars, within limits, which have entered the block, and the number of cars within the block is indicated by the number of teeth on the ratchet wheel 10 which have been moved to one side of the starting or zero position of the ratchet wheel, as will be described.

The ratchet wheel 10 is held in the position into which itis turnedon each' operation of the pull pawl 15, by an escapement, preferably oi the construction herein shown, and comprising two pawls 70, 71, see Figs. 3, 4, 10 and 13, carried by a. lever 72 on opposite sides of the pivot 73 therefor. The pawl is rigidly fixed to the lower end of the lever 72, and will be hereinafter referred to as the lower pawl, and is designed to engage the .straight face 74 ofeach ratchet tooth 12, see Fig. 4. The pawl 71 is pivoted at 75 to the lever 7 2 at its upper end and is designed to be moved with the lever 72 and to have a limited movement independently thereof, for a purpose as will be described. The pawl 71 will be hereinafter referred to as the upper pawl of the escapement. The upper pawl 71 is provided with a finger 76 which is engaged on its under side by a round plunger 77 reciprocating in. a socket 78 in an arm 79 of the escapement lever 72 and acted upon by a helical spring 80 in said socket. The spring 80 normally turns the upper pawl 71 on its pivot 7 5 to keep a lug 81 thereon against a fixed arm 82 of the escapement lever 72, and thereby cause the upper pawl 71 to be moved with the escapement lever in one direction as a fixed part thereof. The spring 80 permits the upper pawl 71 to be moved in the opposite direction independently of the escapement lever for a purpose, as will be described. Normally the lower pawl 70 isengaged with atooth of the ratchet wheel 10 and the upper pawl 71 is disengaged from said ratchet wheel as represented in Fig. 4. The lower pawl 70 therefore acts as a holding pawl and prevents rotation of the ratchet wheel 10 in the reverse direction by the clock spring 16, until it is desired to effect reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel, as will be described. The lower pawl 70 is normally held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by the weight of the arm 79 assisted by a spring 179.

By reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen. that as the ratchet wheel 10 is turned in the direction of the arrow 14, the escapement 72 is rocked on its pivot 73 by the beveled surface 84 of a ratchet tooth engaging the beveled surface 85 ot' the lower pawl, and that the upper pawl 71 will be moved forward toward the ratchet wheel. Reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel by the spring 16, while the, next succeeding tooth of the ratchet wheel ispassing by the lower pawl 7 Oand into position to have its straight face en gaged with the straight face of the lower pawl 70, is prevented by the pull pawl 15, which is engaged with a tooth of the ratchet wheel.

It will thus be seen, that the ratchet wheel 10 is rotated in one direction by a mechanical device carried by the car, as the latter enters the block, and is held from rotation in the opposite direction under the influence of the clock spring 16, by the cscapement lever 72.

The ratchet wheel 10 is provided on its periphery with teeth 12 equal in number to the maximum number of cars it is desired should enter the block, and with an additional tooth. for a purpose as will be dcscribed. In the present instance the ratchet wheel is Provided with twenty teeth in all. It is desired that when the first car enters the block, a signal should be set against a car entering the block from the end opposite to that at which the entrance contactor is located. To this end a switch for the signal is provided, which is operated by the entrance cont-actor. The switch herein shown comprises a stationary contact member 90 and a movable contact member 91. The stationary member 90 is mounted on the upright 47 and is insulated therefrom by a bushing 92 of suitable insulating material, and has connected with it a line wire 93.

The movable member 91 is attached to a metal yoke comprising a cross bar 94 and side arms 95, which latter are mounted to turn on the shaft 13, see Fig. 2. The cross bar 94 has a lug 96 which is designed to engage the casing of the magnet 43 in the open position of the switch, see Figs. 1 and 4, in which position the side arms 95 are at one side of a vertical plane through the shaft 13, see Fig. 1. The switch member 91 is moved into contact with the stationary member 90 by a spring 97, having its upper end attached to one side bar 95 near the top thereof and its lower end connected to the base 23 on the opposite side of said Vertical plane. The cross bar 94 has a downward extended arm 98, which cooperates with a tooth extended the full width of the ratchet wheel as shown in Fig. 9 and hereinafter referred to as the long tooth, which for distinction is marked 120.

The arm 98 is located on the cross bar 94 so as to only engage the long tooth 120, which has two distinct functions. First it moves the switch member 91 from its closed to its normally open position, and second, it places the spring 97 under sufficient tension to enable it to move the switch member 91 into its closed position, when the ratchet wheel is operated by the first car entering the block, the pull pawl 15 in this case acting on the long tooth. The long tooth 120, when engaged with the arm 98 with the switch The ratchet. tooth next to the long tooth 120 on the side thereof at the right oil a vertical plane tln'ough the shaft 13 and which is marked 121 in Figs. 4 and 9, is made sufiiciently short so as not to be engaged by the pull pawl 15, when the ratchet wheel has been moved by the full number of cars it is desired should enter the block at any one time. In the present instance the ratchet wheel is provided with twenty teeth including the short tooth 121, and therefore nineteen cars can enter and occupy the block and operate the apparatus herein shown. The short tooth 121 is located centrally of the ratchet wheel and in position to be engaged by the escapement 72. The teeth 12 between the long and short teeth 120, 121, are made of sufficient length to be engaged by the pull pawl 15 and the escapement 72, but are not long enough to be engaged by the arm 98 of the switch. 1

It will thus be seen that the first car entering the block rotates the ratchet wheel by the pull pawl engaging the long tooth 120, releases the switch member 91, and permits the spring 97 to close the switch 91, 90 and sets the signal at the opposite or outlet end of the block against a car entering the block in the opposite direction, and further the escapement lever 7 2 is rocked by the ratchet wheel each time the latter is moved one tooth. The rocking of the escapement lever 72 is utilized in the present instance to efiect a momentary opening of the switch 91, 90, which causes the signal light at the outlet end of the block to be momentarily put out, and to immediately be again lighted and maintained lighted as long as a car is in the block except for the time it is momentarily extinguished. In this manner, the signal lights at the outlet end of the block, hereinafter referred to as the danger signal, may be said to wink each time the ratchet wheel 10 is moved the distance of a tooth, and in this way, a visual indication of the number of cars entering the block and actuating the ratchet wheel may be obtained. To effect this result, the escapement lever 72 is connected with the movable member 91 ot the switch.

To this end, the upper arm 82 of the escapement lever 72 is connected by a link 110 with the lower end of a lever 112, whose upper end is connected by a link 113 with a side arm '95 of the movable switch member 91. The link 113 is provided with an elongated slot 114 into which is extended a pin 115 on an car 116 attached to the side arm 95. l/Vhen the switch 91, 90 is closed, the pin 115 engages the outer end of the slot 114, and a straight connection is obtained between the side arm 95 and the escapement lever 72. As a result, the switch member 91 is moved away from its closed position when the escapement lever 72 is rocked to move the lower pawl away from the ratchet wheel and to move the upper pawl 71 toward the ratchet wheel. The movement of the escapement lever 72 is increased by the intermediate lever 112 sufiiciently to withdraw the switch member 91 from engage ment with the member 90 and thus open the signal circuit, which is immediately closed again by the spring 97, when the escapement lever 72 is rocked in the opposite direction, which takes place as soon as the next ratchet tooth passes by the lower pawl 70.

It will thus be seen that the danger signal is lighted and set against a car entering the block from the outlet end by the initial car of a predetermined number, and is winked once for each succeeding car of said predetermined number entering the block.

Rocking of the escapement lever 72 is also utilized for winking the danger signal by the cars passing out of the block at either end thereof. In some cases, it may be desired to have a car which has entered the block pass out therefrom at the entrance end thereof, and for this purpose, provision is made for rocking the escapement lever 72 when the swing arms 21, 51 are moved in tne direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 40, by the cars in the block backing out through the entrance end of the block.

To this end, the upper arm 82 of the escapement lever 72 has a. pin 130 extended into a slot 131 in a lever 132, pivoted at 133 to a lever 134 mounted to turn on the shaft 13. The levers 132, 134 form a toggle which is maintained substantially straight by the spring 179 with a lug 136 on the lever 32 engaging the under side of the hub 50, and is broken by a pin or stud 137 on the inner face of the cam disk 67. When a car backs out of the block, the trolley wheel moves the swing arms 21, 51 in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 40. The cam disk 67 is thus turn-ed in the direction of the arrow 138 in Fig. 3 and engages the pin 137 with the lever 134, turning the latter and breaking the toggle, so that the slotted lever 132 moves the upper arm of the escapement pawl 72 toward the ratchet wheel and releases the latter from the lower pawl 70 and engages the upper pawl therewith. This permits the clock spring 16 to turn the ratchet wheel backward the distance of one tooth as soon as the trolley wheel passes by the swing arms 21, 51. As soon as the swing arms are released by the trolley wheel, they are returned to their starting position by the spring 41, which has been energized by the roller 57 elevating the long arm 48 of the lever 45. This action is repeated each time a car backs out of the block at its entrance end, and the danger signal is winked for each car backing out of the block. If all the cars are backedout of the block, the ratchet Wheel is returned to its zero position and the switch member 91 is moved by the long tooth 120 into its open position shown in Fig. 1, and which may be designated its normally open position to distinguish it from its momentarily open position.

Provision is also made for indicating the passage of the cars out of the block at the opposite or outlet end. To this end theelectromagnet 43 is employed on the entrance co-ntactor and is suitably supported by the framework above the base 23. The electromagnet 43 is preferably a solenoid and has its core 140 provided with an extension or arm 141 having a slot 142 into which is extended a pin 143 on the arm 79 of the escapement lever. When the solenoid 43 is energized, its core 140 isli-fted and the slotted arm 141 thereof lifts the pin 143 and rocks the escapement lever 72 to release the pawl-70 and engage the pawl 71 and permit the clock spring 16 to rotate the ratchet wheel backward the distance of one tooth, which operation is repeated as each car passes out of the block at the outlet end thereof. WVhen the solenoid 43 is deenergized, the core 140 drops and allows the spring 179 to rock the escapement lever 72 to again engage the lower pawl 70 with a tooth of the ratchet wheel and prevent the clock spring 16 from turning the ratchet wheel backward until the next car passes out'of the block.

Each time a car passes out of the block, the danger signal lamp at the outlet end of the block is wink-edas above described. The upper pawl 71 being pivoted to the escapement lever 72, permits the ratchet wheel 10 to be rotated by the clock spring 16, when the escapement lever 7 2 is rocked, either by the movement of the swing arms 21, 51 in the reverse direction indicated by the arrow 138 or by the core of the electromagnet 43 when the latter is energized. As the ratchet wheel is rotated by the spring 16, a tooth thereon turns the upper pawl 71 backward and through the arm 76 thereon compresses the spring 80, and as soon as a tooth 12 has passed by the upper pawl, the latter is restored by the spring to its normal position on the escapement lever 72 with the lug 81 on the upper pawl in engagement with tne upper arm 82. V

The electromagnet 43 is controlled by a switch or circuit controller which forms part of the clearing contactor, preferably of the construction shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16, and which will now be described. The clearing contactor shown in Figs. 14 to 16 is of similar construction to the entrance contactor, with the ratchet mechanism and its cooperating parts omitted. It is provided with a base 150 adapted to be supported above the trolley wire 24 and provided with swing arms 151, 152 connected by a tie bar 153, and mounted to swing on a shaft 154 supported by the base. The swing arms 151, 152 are operatively connected with the switchwhich controls the electromagnet 43 of the entrance contactor. The switch referred to, comprises a stationary contact member 156 mounted on an upright 157 erected from the base 150, and a movable contact member 158 extended from a metal yoke comprising a cross bar 159 and side arms 160 mounted to swing on the shaft 154. The cross bar 159 has depending from it an arm 161, preferably curved at its lower end and cooperating with the cross head 162 of a T-shaped lever 163 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 154 between the hubs 164 of the swing arms 151, 152. The ends of the cross head 162 are connected by springs 165 with a pin 166 carried by lugs 167 on the hubs 164. The springs 165 normally keep a lug 168 on the lever 163 engaged with the pin 166, so that the lever 163 will move with the swing arms as one piece to engage the arm 161 and close the switch when the swing arms are moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 17 0 in Fig. 14 by the trolley wheel 25 of a car passing out of the block. The springs 165 also allow the swing arms 151, 152 to be further moved by the trolley wheel in the direction of the arrow 170, after the switch has been closed, as shown in Fig. 15. As soon as the car passes out of the block, the swing arms 151, 152 are first turned by the springs 165 until the lug 168 engages the pin 166, and then the swing arms and lever 163 are moved as one piece by the arm 161 of the movable member of the switch, which member is moved into its open position shown in Fig. 14, by a spring 172, which holds the arm 161 against a back stop or stationary arm 173 of the framework. The swing arms 151, 152 are capable of being turned on the shaft 154 by a car entering the block at the outlet end, without moving the movable switch member, as in such case, the swing arms and the lever 163 are moved by the trolley wheel away from the arm 161 with the movable switch member in either its open or closed position, so that, a car entering the block at the outlet end does not operate the entrance contactor at the entrance end of the block. The contact member 156 is preferably provided with a movable member 256, pivoted at its lower end at 257 to the contact member 156 and provided at its upper end with a hook 258, which cooperates with a finger 259 on the contact member 156 to limit the movement of the member 256 away from the member 156 by a spring 260. The member 256 is provided with a slot indicated by the dotted line 261, into which enters the blade or movable member 158, when the swing arm 151 is moved by the trolley wheel on the car leaving the block. The pivotal member 256 prevents excessive arcing when the blade 158 is moved into its closed and open positions.

The entrance contactor and the clearing contactor are designed to be supported in the air and may and preferably will be provided with suitable ears 175 for engagement with the trolley wire 24 and also may be supported by the usual span wires, not shown.

In Figs. 17 18 and 19 is illustrated in diagram a suflici-ent portion of the track of an electrically operated road or system with which the entrance contactors and the clearing contactors are used. The railway track consists of a single line track 200 provided at intervals with turnouts, hereinshown as two in numb-er and marked 201, 202, and the portion of the main line track between the turnouts constitutes a block. In Fig. 17 one block is shown which is marked 203, and in practice the cars moving in the direction of the arrow 204 follow the main line 200, and the cars moving in the opposite direction follow the main line in the blocks 203 and the turnouts 202, 201, and wait in the turnouts until the cars in the block ahead have passed out of the block.

An entrance contactor marked A is located in the main line 200 adjacent to the entrance end of the block 203 for cars moving in the direction of the arrow 204, and a clearing contactor marked B is located in the main line adjacentthe outlet end of the block. An entrance contactor C is located in the turnout 202 for cars moving in the opposite direction, indicated by the arrow 205, and a clearing contactor marked D is located in the turnout 201 adjacent the block 203.

The entrance contactors marked A, C in Fig. 17 are of the construction above described, and the switch of the entrance contactor A controls the signal or signals which are arranged to notify the operator of a car in the turnout 202 that the block 203 is occupied by a car moving in the direction of the arrow 204, and the switch of the entrance contactor G controls the signal or signals which are arranged to notify the operator of a car in the main line and moving in the direction of the arrow 204 toward the block 203, that the block is occupied by a car moving therein in the direction of the arrow 205. It is preferred to employ a plurality of electric lights 210, see Fig. 19, as the signals controlled by the entrance contactor A, and a plurality of electric lights 212 as the signals controlled by the entrance contactor C. The signal lights 210 are connected in series in the line wire 93, which leads from the fixed contact member 90 of the entrance 'contactor A to the ground 214.

The signals 212 are connected in series in the line wire 93 which leads from the stationary Contact member .90 of the entrance contactor C to the ground 215. The clearing contactor B has the stationarycontact member 156 of its switch connected by a wire 225 with the stationary contact member 156 of the switch of the clearing contactor D, and said wire is connected by branch wires 226, 227 with grounds 228, 229 located near the contactors B, 1) respectively and including resistances 230, 231.

By reference to Fig. 19, it will be seen thatwhen the entrance contactor A is operated by a car entering the block 203 and moving in the direction of the arrow 204, the circuit of the lamps 210 is closed by the switch of .the contactor A, and the signals are set against a car in the turnout 202. The number of cars which enter the block 203 is made known to the operator of the car in the turnout 202 by the number of times the lights 210 are closed or winked, as above described. The operator of'the car in the turnout 202, by counting the number of times the lights 210 are lighted, momentarily extinguished and again lighted or winked, ascertains the number of cars which have entered the block, and he can tell when the block is clear by counting the number of cars which pass out of the block or by counting the number of winks of the lights 210 as the cars pass out or" the block, and he also ascertains by the winks that the signal circuit is working properly. The signal lights 212 are set against the cars moving toward the block 203 in the direction of the arrow 204, and these lights are winked by the entrance contactor C, once for each car moving from the turnout 202 into the block 203 in the direction of the arrow 205.

The ratchet wheel 10 in the present instance is provided with nineteen teeth, which are engaged by the pull pawl 15 when the latter is actuated by nineteen cars entering the block consecutively, which number is the maximum number of cars which can enter the block and have each car effect movement of the ratchet wheel the distance of one tooth.

If the maximum number of cars, to wit, nineteen, enter the block consecutively, the ratchet wheel will have then made practically a complete revolution in the direction of the arrow 14 in Fig. 1, and the elongated space formed by the short tooth 121 will at such time be in position to havev the pull pawl 15 enter it, and thus render the pull pawl 15 ineffective to rotate the ratchet wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow 14.

The elongated space formed at one side of the short tooth 121, acts to limit the rotation of the ratchet wheel 10 in the forward direction indicated by the arrow 14.

The ratchet wheel 10 remains in this position until a car passes out of the block, and as the cars pass out of the block, theratchet wheel is rotated by the spring 16 step by step in the direction opposite to that indireverse direction by the spring 16 and places the ratchet wheel in its zero position.

The switch lever 95 is held by the spring 16. in this position until the ratchet Wheel 10 is again rotated in the forward direction indicated by the arrow 14.

It will be observed that when the block is empty, the switch member 91 is held in its open position by the long tooth 120 of the ratchet wheel, is released therefrom by the initial car entering the block and is closed by the spring 97 when thus released.

It will also be observed that the danger signal at the outlet end of the block is lighted. It will further be observed that when the next car enters the block, the ratchet wheel is moved another step or the distance of one tooth, and on this movement rocks the escapement lever and opens the switch momentarily releases the movable switch member, and allows it to be again closed by the spring 97.

It will thus be seen that the switch member 91 is released from the ratchet wheel and closed by the spring 97 when the, initial car passes into the block, and is n'ioincntarily opened by the ratchet wheel, released thereby and again closed when each succeeding car of the predetermined number of cars enters the block. 7

The operating parts of the entrance contactor may be protected by a cover 240, and the operating parts of the clearing contactor may be protected by a cover 241, both of which covers are removably secured to the bases of the. said contactors in any suitable manner.

From the above description, it will be seen that when the initial car of a predetermined number of cars enters ,a block, the switch of the entrance contactor at the entrance end of the block is closed, and the signal at the outlet end ol the block is set against the cars entering the block at said outlet end.

It will also be observed that as each succeeding car of the predetermined number of cars enters the block at the entrance end, the

movable member of the switch of the entrance contactor located at the entrance end of the block, is momentarily moved into its open position and the signal light at the outlet end is extinguished, and when the said succeeding car has passed into the block, the said movable switch member is again moved into its closed position and the signal light at the outlet end is again lighted. This operation of the movable switch memher is so rapid as to have the effect of winking the signal set against the entrance of cars into the block at the outlet end thereof, so that the said signal is practically set against the cars entering the block at the outlet end thereof, while the block is occupied and until the last car of the predetermined number has passed out of the block. In other words, the switch of the entrance contactor remains practically closed after it has been closed by the initial car until the block is cleared of the predetermined number of cars for which the entrance mechanism is designed, and is momentarily opened by each succeeding car of said undetermined number as each succeeding car enters the block.

It will further be observed that when the last car of the predetermined number of cars passes out of the block, the movable switch member of the entrance contactor is moved by the ratchet wheel into its open position, wherein it acts to prevent further movement of the ratchet wheel in the same direction.

One construction oi entrance and clearing contactor is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction shown, although it may be preferred.

Claims:

1. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a switch member located at the entrance end of the block, an electrically-operated danger signal located at the outlet end of the block and controlled by the switch member at the entrance end to be lighted and extinguished thereby, and means located at the entrance end of the block and eo-operating with said switch member to permit the latter to light the danger signal at the outlet end of the block and set it against cars entering the block at the outlet end when the initial car of a predetermined number of cars enters the entrance end of the block, and to be momentarily cratinguished and again lighted by each succeeding car of said predetermined number when each of said succeeding cars enters the block.

2. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a switch member located at the entrance end of the block. a mechanically actuated contactor mo "able step by step in opposite directions and governing the operation of said switch and ac tuated by a device on a car passing into and backing out of the block at its entrance end, and a signal controlled by said switch member and responsive to the passing in and backing out movements of said car.

3. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a contactor provided with means responsive to cars passing into the block at one end thereof and movable step by step in one direction and to cars passing out of the block at the same end thereof and movable step by step in the opposite direction, and mechanical means actuated by the car for operating the said means when the car enters the block and when said car passes out of the block at the entrance end of the latter.

1-. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out or which cars pass, a contactor provided with means responsive to cars passing into the block at one end thereof and movable step by step in one direction and to cars passing out of the block at the same end thereof and movable step by step in the opposite direction, and means actuated by the car for mechanically operating said means in one direction when the car enters the block and for operating the said means in the reverse direction when said car passes out of the block at the entrance end of the latter.

5. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a contactor provided with means responsive to cars entering the block at one end thereof, with means actuated by the car to mechanically operate said responsive means, and with electrical means for operating said responsive means when a car passes out of the block at the other end thereof, in combination with a clearing contactor provided with a switch for controlling the electrical operation out said responsive n'ieans and with a device actuated by the car and cooperating with said switch to operate the latter when the car is passing out of the block and to be inoperative upon said switch when actuated by a car entering the block from the outlet end thereof.

6. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a contactor provided with device movable step by step in one direction by a predetermined number ot cars entering the block, and havingaswitch member and means for moving said switch member independently of said movable device, said movable device co-operating with said switch member to normally hold the latter in its open position when the block is empty, to release said switch and permit it to be closed by said means when the initial car of a predetermined number enters the block; to permit said switch to be momentarily opened by said movable device when the latter is moved a step by each succeedmg car of the predetermined number as it enters the block and to be again closed by said means when said succeeding car has passed into the block; to permit said switch to be momentarily opened and closed when said movable device is moved in the reverse direction by cars passing out of the block, and to be moved into its normally open position by said movable device when the last car of the predetermined number passes out of the block.

'7. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a contactor provided with mechanical means responsive to the cars entering the block and movable step by step, with a switch controlled by said mechanical means, and with a device capae ble of being actuated by the-car to mechanically operate said responsive mechanical means.

8. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out or which car-s pass, a contactor having a supporting frame suspended above the track and provided with a device carried by said supporting frame to be engaged by means movable with the car, and having means carried by said frame to be operated step by step in one direction by movement of said device by the cars passing into the block.

9. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a cont-actor suspended above the track and provided with a device to be en aged by means movable with the car, and having means capable of being moved step by step in opposite directions and mechanically operated by said device when a car passes into the block and when a car passes out of the block at the end at which it enters. I

10. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track into and out of which cars pass, a contactor suspended above the track and provided with a device to be engaged by means movable with the car, and having means mechanically connected with and operated by said device when a car passes into the block, and having electrically-operated means for controlling the operation of said means in a reverse direction.

11. In a signal system for railways provided with a block in the track lnto and out of which cars pass, a contactor suspended above the track and provided with a swing arm capable of being engaged by a device movable with the car, and having a switch provided witha movable member, a spring to move said movable member into its closed position, and mechanism intermediate said switch and swing arm and controlling the action of said spring.

12. A contactor mechanism otthecharacter described, comprising aratchet wheel, a spring to rotate it in one direction, an escapement to control rotation by said spring, a swing arm, and a pawl actuated by said swing arm and cooperating with said ratchet wheel to rotate the latter in the opposite direction to that in whichzit is rotated by said spring.

18. A contactor mechanism of the character described, comprising a ratchet wheel, a spring to rotate it in one direction, an escapement to control rotation by said spring, a swing arm, a pawl actuated by said swing arm and cooperating with said ratchet wheel to rotate the latter in the opposite direction, a stop pawl operated by movement of said swing arm and cooperating with said ratchet wheel to preventiover rotation of the latter by said pawl.

14. A contactor mechanism of the character described, comprising a ratchet wheel, a spring to rotate it in one direction, an escapement to control rotation by said spring, a swing arm, a pawl actuated by said swing arm and cooperating with said ratchet wheel to rotate the latter in the oppo: sit-e direction, a stop pawl cooperating with said ratchet wheel, and a cam movable with said swing arm to engage said stop pawl with said ratchet wheel.

15. In a contactor of the character described, a ratchet wheel, a swing arm operatively connected with said ratchet wheel to rotate it in one direction, a spring to rotate the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction, an escapement controlling rotation of said ratchet wheel by said spring, and a switch having a movable member operated by said ratchet wheel and movable independently of said swing arm. i

16. In a contactor of the character described, a ratchet wheel, a spring to rotate it in one direction, an escapement controlling rotation of said ratchet wheel by said spring, a swing arm, and means operatively connecting said swing arm with said ratchet wheel to rotate the latter in opposition to said spring and to permit the ratchet wheel to be rotated without moving said swing arm.

1'7. In a contactor of the character described, a ratchet wheel, a spring to rotate it in one direction, an escapement controlling rotation of said ratchet wheel by said spring, a'swing arm movable in opposite directions from a starting position, and means actuat ed by said swing arm for rotating the ratchet wheel in 'one direction, and means movable with said swing arm tor releasing 

